Indiana Hoosiers

Indiana Hoosiers

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Indiana S coach Noah Joseph said that sophomore S Marcelino Ball is "a lot more mature right now in just how he’s approaching the game."

Joseph refers to Ball (6'0/210) as a "work in progress," explaining, "[w]e still gotta work on consistency every day, bringing that high level and high expectation every single play." As a true freshman last season, the safety finished with 75 tackles (4.5 for loss), two interceptions and eight passes defended. This fine work earned him 247Sports True Freshman All-American honors for the campaign.

Indiana redshirt junior DL Nile Sykes will miss the 2017 season due to an undisclosed injury.

Indiana HC Tom Allen did not offer specifics as to the nature of the injury beyond the fact that it occurred earlier this summer and that Sykes (6'1/219) has already undergone surgery. "I hurt for him," Allen said. "He's worked extremely hard." This past season, Sykes recorded 18 tackles (7.0 TFL) and five sacks while making one start. Ja'Marez Bowen and Brandon Wilson could potentially see more work now that Sykes has been ruled out for the campaign.

"He did everything that he could to get himself back from his knee injury," said HC Tom Allen, "but he was unable to reach a place where he could consistently play. T.J. is excited about his new role as a student assistant coach in the weight room and on the field." Prior to being way laid by the aforementioned knee injury which prevented him from playing last season, the 6-foot-1, 233-pound Simmons had turned in back-to-back 75-tackle seasons in 2014 and 2015.

Patrick, who underwent offseason shoulder surgery, will remain at Indiana as a student, but this waiver essentially ends his playing career with the Hoosiers. The 6-foot-2, 225-pounder managed to play in just four games last season, logging a 6-154-1 receiving line in that space. A knee injury kept him out of action until October 22. The wide receiver had been expected to work at running back during the coming season.

The 6-foot-4, 212-pounder caught 60 passes for 1,035 yards and four touchdowns in 2015, but unfortunately Cobbs missed all but one game last year after suffering an ankle injury in September. "If he gets his game back on track and improves off his sophomore campaign, Cobbs could leave the 2017 season stamped as a second-day prospect," Pauline wrote.

Draft Analyst's Tony Pauline believes Indiana redshirt senior CB Rashard Fant is a "good bet" to go near the end of Day 2 next spring.

"He’s a nice combination of ball skills, toughness and speed," Pauline wrote. "Fant does not back down to a challenge and constantly makes positive plays against the pass. He displays good instincts on the field and has a knack for getting a hand in to knock the ball away or make the interception." Fant has been clocked at 4.37 in the forty, which would have ranked No. 4 among CBs at this year's combine, beating first-rounders Adoree' Jackson and Marlon Humphrey. If there's an issue, it's Fant's size. Maybe his work ethic, too. "I doubt he hits 5-foot-10 during predraft weigh-ins, and while he makes a lot of plays in the Big Ten, he’s going to be overmatched in the NFL," Pauline wrote. "A few IU coaches wonder if Fant is willing to put in the work necessary to take his game to the next level." In the final analysis, though, Pauline thinks Fant will be "a good nickel back" at the next level.

Westbrook came up just short from that mark last season, catching 54 passes for 995 yards and six touchdowns. As for Cobbs, the 6-foot-4, 212-pounder already has one 1,000-yard season under his belt, with that coming in 2015. A season-ending ankle injury suffered last September essentially cost him the entirety of the most recent campaign. VanHaaren offers one note of caution with the Hoosiers offense, writing, "There are some questions as to what the production will look like without former head coach Kevin Wilson as Mike DeBord takes over as offensive coordinator."

Indiana redshirt senior CB Rashard Fant has been clocked at 4.37s in the 40-yard dash.

That time would have ranked No. 4 among CBs at this year's NFL Scouting Combine, beating first-rounders Adoree' Jackson and Marlon Humphrey. The 5-foot-10, 177-pound Fant is the NCAA's active career leader in pass breakups with 44. He posted 17 last season en route to Second Team all-Big Ten honors.

Indiana freshman DT LeShaun Minor is a "promising freshman at a position of need," according to Bleacher Report's David Kenyon.

The Hoosiers return Nate Hoff and not much else in the way of experience at defensive tackle. Per Scout, Minor is an "Active, disruptive player who gives top effort." The site's scouting report continues: "Solid athlete who can re-direct and chase down plays. Productive and makes a lot of plays. Not a big big guy for being an interior prospect right now, so must continue to add the weight and strength necessary to play inside at the next level."

Over the spring, Indiana named senior TE Ian Thomas the Most Improved Player on offense and awarded him a Fly Wheel Award for his contributions on special teams.

The 6-foot-5, 250-pounder is coming off a nice spring that included a 23-yard touchdown catch during the spring game. Indiana ignored the tight end position in last year's offense, but new OC Mike DeBord utilized multiple tight ends in the receiving game at Tennessee in 2016. Thomas is a breakout candidate.

Feeney (6’4/305) made 42 starts on the Hoosiers’ line – the first 37 at right guard and final five at right tackle – and earned first-team All-Big Ten in each of his final two seasons as well as first-team All-America as a senior. Feeney was charged with just two sacks allowed in his college career. A finesse lineman, Feeney specialized in pass protection and zone blocking at Indiana and isn’t a power player. He also missed four games to a severe concussion in 2016. Feeney’s lack of mauling strength caps his ceiling, but he projects as a competent starter in the Andy Levitre mold. Chargers GM Tom Telesco is drilling the offensive line on day two, as he should after Philip Rivers got happy feet down the stretch last season.

An NFL scout who spoke with the Milwaukee Journal-Sentinel called Indiana G Dan Feeney "the old-school, run-blocking guard who needs to work on his pass pro[tection]."

"On the ground a little bit (too much) for my liking. He’s a center-guard combination guy," the scout said. To his second point, the 6-foot-4, 305-pound Feeney worked out at both guard and center during his pro day. Another scout who spoke with the Journal-Sentinel believes that center is his best bet for professional success, telling the outlet, "Maybe in a pure zone scheme like Atlanta and San Fran’s running he’d have a chance to be pretty good. He’s a great kid and he’s tough, but if he gets in the wrong scheme he’s going to fail." The Vikings, Bears, Colts, 49ers and Rams are among those who have kicked the tires here during the pre-Draft process.